Arrangement for coupling of a driver to a coupling site of the ossicular chain

Abstract

A mechanical coupling for an output-side driver of an active or passive implantable hearing system. The driver is adapted to vibrate a preselected coupling site on an ossicular chain via a first coupling which has a coupling rod which can be caused to vibrate mechanically by the driver and a coupling element which can be connected to the preselected coupling site. The coupling rod and the coupling element are interconnected by at least one coupling. A first coupling half of the coupling has an approximately spherical outside contour which can be accommodated in the inside contour of a second coupling half, i.e. a contour which is at least partially complementary to the outside contour. The is adapted to reversibly swivel and/or turn against friction forces, but is essentially rigid under the dynamic forces which occur in the implanted state.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A coupling system for use with an output-side driver of an implantable hearing system, said coupling system having a first coupling with a coupling rod and a coupling element, said first coupling comprising: 
       a first coupling half with an approximately spherical outside contour; and  
       a second coupling half that is adapted to receive said spherical outside contour of said first coupling half and having an inside contour that is complementary to said spherical outside contour of said first coupling half, wherein said coupling is adapted to be substantially rigid with respect to dynamic forces which occur when said hearing system is implanted and adapted to at least one of swivel and turn against friction forces when said hearing system is being at least one of implanted and adjusted.  
     
     
       2. The coupling system of  claim 1 , wherein said first coupling is adapted to reversibly couple and decouple. 
     
     
       3. The coupling system of  claim 1 , wherein said second coupling half comprises at least two spring arms which are adapted to at least partially encompass said first coupling half. 
     
     
       4. The coupling system of  claim 3 , wherein said at least two spring arms are elastically pretensioned toward the inside of said second coupling half such that said spring arms are adapted to squeeze said first coupling half when said first coupling half is coupled with said second coupling half. 
     
     
       5. The coupling system of  claim 1 , wherein said second coupling half is approximately bell-shaped. 
     
     
       6. The coupling system of  claim 5 , wherein said second coupling half includes a plurality of slots extending from a face of said second coupling half. 
     
     
       7. The coupling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second coupling having: 
       a first coupling half having an approximately cylindrical outside contour; and  
       a second coupling half that is adapted to receive said outside contour of said first coupling half and having an inside contour that is at least partly complementary to said outside contour of said first coupling half.  
     
     
       8. The coupling system of  claim 7 , wherein said outside contour of said first coupling half of said second coupling has a circular cylindrical shape. 
     
     
       9. The coupling system of  claim 7 , wherein said second coupling half of said second coupling is a sleeve. 
     
     
       10. The coupling system of  claim 9 , wherein said sleeve has at least one slot that runs axially along said sleeve. 
     
     
       11. The coupling system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one slot extends to a face of said sleeve. 
     
     
       12. The coupling system of  claim 10 , wherein a slot extends along the entire length of said sleeve. 
     
     
       13. The coupling system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one slot does not extend to a face of said sleeve. 
     
     
       14. The coupling system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one slot ends in a relief opening having a boundary that connects two sides of said at least one slot, wherein said relief opening has a transverse dimension that is greater than the transverse width of said at least one slot. 
     
     
       15. The coupling system of  claim 14 , wherein said boundary is arc-shaped. 
     
     
       16. The coupling system of  claim 15 , wherein said boundary is circular. 
     
     
       17. The coupling system of  claim 14 , wherein said relief opening extends perpendicularly with respect to said at least one slot. 
     
     
       18. The coupling system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one section of a wall of said sleeve is elastically pretensioned toward the inside of said sleeve. 
     
     
       19. The coupling system of  claim 9 , wherein said sleeve includes at least two adjacent slots defining a wall that is elastically pretensioned toward the inside of said sleeve. 
     
     
       20. The coupling system of  claim 19 , wherein said at least two adjacent slots are connected at their ends by a U-shaped slot. 
     
     
       21. The coupling system of  claim 8 , wherein said sleeve has an insertion area that tapers toward an end face of said sleeve. 
     
     
       22. The coupling system of  claim 8 , wherein said second coupling is adapted to transmit dynamic forces between said first and second coupling halves in an axial direction when implanted. 
     
     
       23. The coupling system of  claim 7 . wherein one of said second coupling halves has an insertion area for said corresponding first coupling half that widens toward the end face of the second coupling half. 
     
     
       24. The coupling system of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of said first and second halves of one of said first and second couplings is connected integrally to a corresponding one of said coupling element and coupling rod.